It’s 6:50 and I’ve already had 2 gingersnaps and I’m on my second cup of coffee so hopefully this post will roll off my tongue! We try to make our coffee at night and set the timer {I have that pesky Mr. Coffee coffee pot… the one that if the filter basket isn’t perfectly placed it makes a pot of coffee all over your counter top, do you have it too?!} Anyway, it didn’t do that this morning, I just thought I’d mention it. But, if I make my coffee in the morning when I’m half awake, I always spill the grounds… I usually bump into the coffee maker with my spoon full of grounds and they go everywhere or when filling the back of the maker I pour water all over the counter. Thankfully, Justin usually makes the coffee at night before bed as to avoid all the early morning tragedy… it’s one of my favorite ways he loves me. Our pot beeps 5 times when it’s ready… usually at 5:40 and then I know it’s safe to get up. With my coffee this morning I had a couple gingersnaps, I tried to tell myself it was a breakfast of champions. They go really well with coffee or without.
I’ve searched high and low for a good gingersnap recipe. I like mine to be a little crisp on the outside but chewy on the inside… I finally found my recipe. And with the girls help we made a wonderful mess and a delicious batch of gingersnaps yesterday.
Yesterday’s mail included another Junior League cookbook, this one from the Junior League of Gwinnett and North Fulton Counties {thank you, Natalie!}. I may just have to start a collection because I’m convinced you can’t go wrong with a Junior League cookbook. After a quick browsing I set my eyes firmly on page 152 and the recipe for Gingersnaps. It didn’t take me long to realize I had all the ingredients which meant, I HAD to make them. I have to admit, I was skeptical, only because I’ve tried a handful of gingersnap recipes to no avail. I am here to announce… I’ve found my recipe!
They are spicy, crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. In my humble opinion, all around PERFECTION.
The only thing I was out of was parchment paper {which I usually don’t bake without}, so we used heavy foil and sprayed it well… worked out great! We made our cookies much larger than the recipe called for and they turned out perfect. We also didn’t roll them in sugar and they’re just as delicious!
Gingersnaps
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ginger
3/4 cup butter-flavor shortening
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
sugar to roll cookies in
Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger together. Cream the shortening and 1 cup of sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the molasses and egg and beat well. Add the flour mixture and mix well. Roll into small balls, adding additional flour if necessary to make the dough easy to handle. Dip in sugar and place 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.
Makes 250 to 300 small cookies.
I made average size cookies, slightly pressed the balls of cookie dough down before baking and baked 10 minutes… perfection!
Now, to answer your questions from the last post… the girls pink dresses from the first day of school came from Walmart! I bought them in pink and in this turquoise and purple plaid. I love the style of the dresses, the price and that they are lightweight for our still scorching hot days!
And my ferns photographed by Morgan…
Are Kimberly Queens. Which are much more hardy and tolerant of sun than Boston Ferns. Our front steps get filtered light and the fern on the right gets considerably more sun than the one on the left… which is why it doesn’t look quite as healthy. I feed them an acidic time release fertilizer every 3 to 4 weeks. Usually the bag or box of fertilizer will say “Azalea/Rhododendron/Camellia” and really it should say ferns too because they love it! It keeps them green! I also bring them in during the winter.
Ok, I’ll be back soon because I’ve got something fun I want to share!!!!!!!!!!
Your recipe sounds wonderful, and I will try it, BUT……..PLEASE try the gingersnaps at Trader Joes. Oh. My. Word. They come in a round plastic tub and they are filled with pieces of chewy ginger. Hands down the BEST snaps I have ever had! (Not to be confused with the snaps in the box. They may be good, but these in the round, plastic tub are GREAT!!!!!!!!!!)
I love Walmart dresses. I have two I got this summer that I’ve worn a million times. In fact, I think I may have worn it the last time I was in your kitchen…and I think I actually changed into it right there 
Hopefully someone will read this and think we are both quite strange.
